12 injured after van carrying church group flips over on Buffalo, NY expressway

August 17, 2009

According to Buffalo Fire Department radio communications, at least 12 people were injured after a van carrying a church group flipped over on an expressway interchange in Buffalo, New York.

Seven of the 12 people injured have been taken to a local hospital for treatment. At least two people were seriously injured. The church affiliation of the group is not yet known. The accident occurred on the on ramp to Buffalo's Route 198 Westbound at around 6:30 p.m. (EDT). The van was traveling from Route 33 Westbound. According to the fire department, a preliminary investigation on scene shows the driver of the van may have been going too fast on the interchange's turn, causing the van to flip over several times.

At 7:00 p.m., according to New York Department of Transportation traffic cameras, police were still blocking all traffic from entering the 198 Westbound from route 33. At 7:10 p.m., the van was finally able to be towed from the scene. The scene was cleared at 7:30 p.m. and traffic was allowed back on the ramp.